If not an actor, Asin would have been a diplomat. The 45-minute news conference addressed by the hot new heroine of Bollywood at Thiruvananthapuram recently proved it.Asin avoided tricky questions with a polite ‘no comment.’ When there were occasions to pick from a lot, she embraced all answers, justifying it with a logic that went down well with the journos. When asked who her favourite actor was, Asin said, “Whenever I watch a film, there are some characters I like very much. I admire them. But it varies from film to film. It is not the actor but the character whom I love.” Then came the follow-up question: But didn’t you have a childhood heartthrob? “Not one but many! I liked Mohanlal.I liked Mammootty.I loved Sobhana and Urvasi.” When asked why there were not many heroines past 30 though men in their 50s and 60s play heroes, Asin said she was yet to solve the mystery. The chat then turned to politics and the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.She had only two words on the subject.“No comment.” Have you ever exercised your franchise? “No comment,” she repeated. But why can’t you say a yes or no? “If I answer either way, it will lead to another question that may land me in trouble” was her justification. Asin said she developed this habit after reaching Bollywood.“Journalists there are more intrusive.One answer may lead to three days of news,” said Asin. However, she had answers when quizzed about future projects and how she selects a movie. “I will act in Malayalam if an exciting project comes my way,” said Asin, who made her debut in the Malayalam [color:7091=blue ! important][color:7091=blue ! important]movie ‘Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka’ in 2001. “Remuneration won’t be a criterion. Now I’ve been offered two or three projects here. Earlier too I was offered good roles in Mollywood.But I couldn’t do them owing to a clash of dates.” Asin claims she will act in a movie only if she is satisfied with the script, character, director, banner and coartists.“Does that mean you’ll act only in big banner productions?” asked a doubting Tom. “No. But I want the production house to have the financial base to complete the project.” There is no restriction for a South Indian artist in Bollywood. “I am now in the midst of my second film in Bollywood.Of course, you need to have a grip on the language. ‘Ghajini’ came my way because I knew Hindi.” What’s her take on being touted as a Rekha or Sridevi in the making? “I have acted only in two Hindi [color:7091=blue ! important][color:7091=blue ! important]films and have miles to go. It isn’t fair to compare me with these stalwarts.” Asin’s next project is a W*violation*violation*violation Disney production that will mark her entry into world cinema. “19th Step is a Tamil-Japanese co-production. Bharat Bala is directing the movie.” Asin will begin learning kalaripayattu for the movie soon. The shooting will begin by the year end.Winding up her first ever news conference in Kerala, Asin said she would come to Kerala again and spend more time here once the shooting of ‘19th Step’ begins.